When Marcos Ambrose Was King of the Glen
With Watkins Glen coming up, many are looking forward to seeing SVG dominate again or be dethroned, but before that, let’s remember Marcos Ambrose. The ex-V8 Supercar champion paved the way for SVG, a fellow ex-V8 Supercar champion, to make his way to states like he did.
How Marcos Ambrose’s Dominance at the Glen Was Pivotal to His Success
But even Marcos Ambrose didn’t start out winning. His first time in NY was in 2007, where he raced in both the Busch Series and the Cup Series. He failed to qualify for the Cup race and the Busch Series race; he’d be anonymous. Starting 7th and finishing 13th, not even getting a top ten in his debut.
In 2008, Marcos Ambrose Clinched His First Win at the Track
He started 12th for that year’s Nationwide Series race, but with four laps to go, Cup Series driver Jeff Burton pitted from the lead and handed Marcos Ambrose a win earned by strategy and skill. He improved on the Cup side too, racing with WBR, where he finished 3rd for his first career Cup Series top 5 and 10.
In 2009, in the Nationwide Series race, he was battling for the lead with Kyle Busch, a future champion who had won 8 Cup Series races the previous season. And this is where Marcos Ambrose made 1 of the most underrated moves in NASCAR history. Dive bombing Busch into the bus stop, forcing him into the shortcut, stopping on track to pull away, and winning again.
Marcos Ambrose’s Knock at the Cup Series Door
Leading nine laps and finishing 2nd at the 2009 Cup race. In the 2010 Nationwide Series race, he would race so great that he would go on a 4-year hiatus from the track in the series. Leading 60 laps from pole position in what was a dominant win. In 2010 in the cup, he would finish 3rd and only lead eight laps, but did have 1 of the most underrated battles in the series’ history with eventual winner Juan Pablo Montoya, with the 2 using all of their road course skill going at it for the lead. But it would be in moving from JTG to RPM where he’d finally see victory.
How Ambrose’s Cup Focus Changed the Game
In 2011 he’d purely focus on Cup, which would turn out to be the right move! On the final restart, Ambrose was 3rd behind 2 of the best drivers of this generation, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch, but fearlessly Marcos Ambrose got to Brad K’s outside before turn 1. KB would overdrive turn 1, slamming into Ambrose’s door while falling to 3rd.
While Marcos Ambrose’s first move on the No. 2 failed, he put pressure on the Dodge in the bus stop, forcing a mistake from Brad, allowing Marcos Ambrose to take the lead. The race ended under caution after a horrifying crash between David Reutimann and Ragan, meaning that Marcos Ambrose had finally achieved his Cup Series victory! Wouldn’t it be crazy if the same three drivers were the top 3 on the last lap at the same track the next year and had an even better finish?
The Greatest Finishes in Watkins Glen History
In 2012, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, and Marcos Ambrose would come together again at Watkins Glen to have 1 of the most outstanding finishes in NASCAR history! It started when KB overdrove in turn one again, this time trying and failing to block Brad K and instead spinning off Brad K’s bumper.
Both the No. 9 and No. 2 floored it into the bus stop, driving into the dirt and getting grass all over the track. Marcos Ambrose almost slipped off track, but controlled the car again and moved Brad out of the way to steal the lead. Brad tried to do the same, but Marcos Ambrose saved the car again, and Brad lost in the final turn to get his 2nd ever win.
2013 Turned Out to Be a Disappointment
It didn’t start out that way when he earned pole, but later on, he was wrecked by Max Papis, who was replacing Tony Stewart on a restart, which greatly upset Marcos Ambrose. Many thought this was the only way he could stop at this track. But AJ Allmendinger would prove them wrong. In his last Nationwide Series start in the No. 09 for RPM 2014, he dominated, leading 62 laps en route to another 2nd-tier series win.
Final Thoughts
But AJ, in 1st and Ambrose’s old JTG ride, wasn’t quitting, surviving contact with the No. 9 to remain in the lead heading into the bus stop. In a replay of 2011, Marcos Ambrose would pressure AJ in the bus stop, forcing him into a mistake that got Ambrose the lead. But Allmendinger, with all the grit in the world, stayed alongside the No. 9!
Even slammed into Marcos Ambrose’s door to take back the lead and pull away. Earning AJ and JTG their first-ever wins. It was a full circle moment when Marcos Ambrose was defeated at the track he seemed invincible at by his old ride in what would be his last start there. Because everything in NASCAR comes full circle. Thanks a bunch for reading!
